Lesson: Seasons – Core Vocabulary
Lesson: Seasons – Core Vocabulary
In the table below, you will see the four (4) core vocabulary items that this module will cover relating to words for seasons. Take a minute to look at the table below, then reflect on the following basic question:
What do you know about the seasons? Are these traditional ideas or are they new constructions?
Seasons |
|
| Bariganbaa | Autumn, the time of the naipan fruit. |
| Dhandarraa | Winter, the time of most frost. |
| Yarragaa | Spring, the time of the yarragaa wind. |
| Yaraaybaa | Summer, the time of the sun. |
Lesson Instructions
Below you will find recordings of each of the core vocabulary items and some basic description. Each of the audio link directly to the online dictionary on Yaama.org, which has much more detail on the words if you are interested. Listen closely to the audio in each section, then read the description which will help you understand the words. A good way to practice will be to listen to the word, and then repeat after the speaker. The more you listen, and the more you speak, the more it will sink in to your body and you will remember.
Don’t be shy about speaking, the ancestors understand our intent, even if we won’t get the words right every time!
5.1.1. Bariganbaa.
Bariganbaa is a newly constructed word in Gamilaraay that roughly equates to what English calendars call Autumn. Gamilaraay ancestors watched everything on Country closely and knew intimately the relationships between plants flowering, and animal breeding, and the arrival of winds. The idea of a distinct four seasons like English language has, just isn’t true of Gamilaraay Country. Because it is a new construction, the recording linked is just to the name of the fruit Barigan, and you will need to watch the main video to hear the full word.
While this resource uses Bariganbaa as a way to indicate Autumn, what it really means is the time of the year that the Nepine, Capparis lasiantha, is fruiting. The word is constructed following a traditional pattern. It uses Barigan, nepine, Capparis lasiantha, with the -Baa suffix meaning place-of or time-of. Together it is the time of Nepine fruiting. You will have seen this in places like Baan Baa, the time and place of mistletoe, snotty gobbles, Amyema spp.
Listen to the recording and try to repeat it.
5.1.2. Dhandarraa
Dhandarraa has an original meaning of a time, and place of frosts. The meaning has been extended and is now often used to indicate the coldest parts of what the English language thinks of as Winter. The word comes from Dhandarr, meaning frost, and ice, with the -Baa suffix meaning -place of or time of. The -Baa suffix is just -aa after a rr.
In some communities, dhandarr is still used also as an adjective to mean beautiful, or pretty – said of women. This is because of the ice/frost women, the miyaymiyay, the seven sisters of the Pleiades.
5.1.3. Yarragaa.
Yarragaa is the Gamilaraay word for the spring wind. It has had it’s meaning extended to cover the English concept of the season of Spring in recent resources. Traditionally Yarragaa the wind is a man, who blows warm wind from the North-East and could be seen on Country anywhere between August through December. Yarragaa is responsible for the spring rains and has three wives, Badha, the sandalwood, Bibil, the bimble box tree, and Bambul the native orange, who burst new shoots, buds, flowers and fruits when touched by their lover.
There is a story of Gigirrgigirr the cold west-wind who longs for Yarragaa. Gigirrgigirr normally blows cold from June to August. If she keeps blowing cold beyond her normal time and escapes, and if Gigirrgigirr and Yarragaa do meet, then trouble ensues and huge storms will rise up.
5.1.4. Yaraaybaa.
Yaraaybaa is the Gamilaraay word for the hottest time of the year, what the English language calls summer. The word comes from Yaraay, meaning sun, with the -Baa suffix meaning -place of or time of. Listen to the recording and try to repeat it.
5.1.5. Re-watch the core video.
Now that you have been introduced to the core vocabulary items about the seasons, watch the main video again, focussing on the ideas that are introduced about how the names and words for these elements are introduced and used. You will hear the -Baa and -aa stress in the wors on those long vowels indicating a time of or place of.
2.3.8. Reflect.
This video forms the basis for this unit, so come back to it often. What have you learned so far? Are there any words that have really stuck out to you in this set of core vocabulary items?